By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, Dec. 1 (PNA) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday ordered the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to immediately effect the detention of United States Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton following the ruling of the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
The Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 on Tuesday found Pemberton guilty beyond reasonable doubt of homicide for the killing of Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in 2014.
In the ruling of Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 Presiding Judge Roline Ginez Jabalde, which was read by Clerk of Court Atty. Gerry Gruspe, Pemberton was sentenced to suffer an imprisonment of from 6 to 12 years in a jail facility in the Philippines.
In an official statement, the DOJ said “following the promulgation of the Olongapo trial court’s judgment of conviction in the case of US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, he will be transported, under the guard of personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), to Camp Aquinaldo in Quezon City.”
The DOJ added “he shall be received by personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and immediately detained there until his appeal is decided with finality by our courts.”
However, the DOJ said, it is possible that Pemberton may be transferred to another detention facility at some point, as provided under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the governments of the Philippines and United States of America.
“In any case, his detention shall at all times be carried out within Philippine territory, under guard by and in line with existing regulations of the BuCor, in observance of the Supreme Cour’s ruling in Nicolas v. Romulo,” the DOJ said. (PNA)